


Not Another Butterfly

by MyriahKamm



Category: Free!
Genre: M/M, Rei's birthday
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-12-15
Updated: 2014-12-15
Packaged: 2018-03-01 14:13:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 686
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2775977
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MyriahKamm/pseuds/MyriahKamm
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rin gets Rei something very special for his birthday, and it's not just another butterfly item.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Not Another Butterfly

For the past four years, Rin hasn’t really had trouble figuring out what to get Rei as gifts. They’ve pretty much all been butterfly related, which has worked out well enough up until now. But this year, Rin wants to do something a little more special, a little more thoughtful for the  _megane_.

It’s taken him  _months_  to figure out what it should be, but by now it seems obvious. Of course it had to be this. It’s the only thing that really makes sense, given how long they’ve been dating by this point.

He heads to Rei’s place that day with a spring in his step. He lets himself into the tiny apartment, grinning when he sees Rei hard at work reading a book at his desk. Of course he is. Rin takes off his shoes and makes his way over to his boyfriend, kissing the top of his head.

"Birthday gift time," he tells Rei, setting the small wrapped box in front of him. "Take a break from studying for two seconds and open this, will you?"

Sighing, Rei marks his place and sets his book aside. “I seem to recall that you were planning to come over later in the afternoon, not right away in the morning.”

"Don’t sound so glum, birthday boy." Rin sits down on the nearby bed and grins.

Ever the perfectionist, Rei unwraps the gift slowly, doing everything he can to preserve the wrapping paper. Once he’s unwrapped it, he opens the box there to reveal another box, this one made of glass and shaped like a butterfly. The smallest of smiles crosses his face as he runs his fingers over the textured violet glass.

"Thank you, Rin," he says, glancing at the redhead. "I appreciate it."

"That’s not all," Rin tells him with a small, nervous chuckle. "Open it."

Raising an eyebrow, Rei removes the top of the butterfly box. He fishes a keychain with a butterfly charm and a single key out of the box. Holding up the keychain, he glances at Rin once more, looking confused.

"I know I haven’t exactly asked you about this, but…would you move in with me?" Rin asks excitedly. His bravado masks the anxiety he feels over asking the question. He honestly doesn’t know what Rei will say, but he’s hoping that the  _megane_  feels just as strongly about their relationship as Rin does.

For a few minutes, Rei just stares at the keychain in silence. It takes Rin longer than he would like to admit to notice the tears filling his boyfriend’s eyes. Rei smiles finally, looking at Rin. He tilts his head to the side slightly as he closes his eyes and gives a brief nod.

"You want me to live with you?" he asks in disbelief, tears of joy slipping from the corners of his eyes to roll down his cheeks.

"Yeah, you dork," Rin assures him, pressing a gentle kiss to his lips. "I’d ask to move in here, but this place is tiny. So, what do you say,  _Speedo Megane_?”

"Yes, Rin-chan-san!" Rei exclaims, wrapping his arms around the redhead in a tight, appreciative hug. They always use these nicknames in tandem so, as much as it used to annoy Rin, he now knows it’s a term of endearment.

"Glad to hear it. It would’ve been pretty awkward if you’d have said no. I’d have to go out and get you another present, and that would just be weird."

Rei touches Rin’s cheek and looks into his eyes, tears still running from his own. “ _You_  are the best gift I could ever ask for.”

Rin chuckles, shaking his head as he reaches up to wipe the bluenette’s tears away. “I’m still trying to figure out when the heck you became an even bigger sap than I am.”

"You’ve rubbed off on me, I suppose."

"Well, stop being a sap and get packed up so we can get you moved in before the end of the day." Rin smirks, waggling his eyebrows. "Who knows? You might get a couple more gifts once you’ve gotten settled."

**_END_ **


End file.
